GUIDELINES FOR JUDGING OTHERS (Matthew 7:1-5) A. Whatever Jesus meant in His statement against judging, it cannot mean that we are never to make any kind of judgment. 1. Words having to do with using judgment are not all bad: discern, discriminate, distinguish, decide, etc. 2. In fact, we are commanded to differentiate between good & evil - Phil. 1:9, 10; 1 Thess. 5:21. Cf. 1 Cor. 5:11-13; 1 Jn. 4:1. Philippians 1:9-10 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; 1 Thessalonians 5:21 21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 1 John 4:1 4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. B. The key is found in John 7:24: Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment. 1. We are not TO STOP making judgments, but rather we are TO make judgments that are fair & just. 2. The Lord said in the Law of Moses: You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly (Lev. 19:15). Cf. Deut. 1:16; 16:18-20; Prov. 31:8-9; etc. [What, then, would be some guidelines to help us when making judgments - or - even when offering constructive criticism?] 1
I. BE FAIR (follow a path of sound reasoning) A. Fairness in judgment includes: Looking beneath the surface. 1. Considering more than external appearances, being cautious with circumstantial evidence, etc. 2. Circumstantial evidence is evidence from which we infer something to be true; it can be very convincing, but we can miss seeing the forest for the trees. 3. In a similar vein, superficial judgments should be avoided - Jn. 7:24. Cf. 2 Cor. 5:16. 2 Corinthians 5:16 16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. B. Fairness includes: Hearing all sides of a matter - Prov. 18:5, 13, 17. 1. It s not wise to rush to a judgment just because the evidence you hear sounds convincing. Proverbs 18:13 13 He who gives an answer before he hears, it is folly and shame to him. Proverbs 18:17 17 The first to plead his case seems right, until another comes and examines him. C. Fairness includes: Putting the best construction on events. 1. It s hate, not love, that motivates a person to automatically assume the worst - 1 Cor. 13:7. 2
1 Corinthians 13:6-7 6 Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. James 2:3 (Shabby treatment of the poor at the assembly) 4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? ( Evil suspicions are contrary sound words and the doctrine conforming to godliness, 1 Tim 6:4). D. Fairness includes: Refusing to give a false report - Prov. 14:5, 25. Cf. 17:23; 24:28, 29. 1. We do this when we offer conflicting opinions (about a person) to different people & under various circumstances. Proverbs 14:5 5 A trustworthy witness will not lie, but a false witness utters lies. Proverbs 14:25 25 A truthful witness saves lives, but he who utters lies is treacherous. E. Fairness includes: Refusing to follow the crowd when it s up to no good - Exo. 23:1-3. 1. We have a greater likelihood of being fair if we will man-up & refuse to succumb to peer-pressure. Exodus 23:1-3 23 "You shall not bear a false report; do not join your hand with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. 2 "You shall not follow the masses in doing evil, nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after a multitude in order to pervert justice; 3 nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his dispute. (Ferguson, MO) [Our integrity & honesty are put to a greater test when we are making judgments of others than at any other time. A second guideline to help us in our judging ] 3
II. HAVE PURE MOTIVES A. Our only intent should be to help a situation, not confuse it - Prov.12:17, 18; 15:4. Proverbs 12:17-18 17 He who speaks truth tells what is right, but a false witness, deceit. 18 There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Proverbs 15:4 4 A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but perversion in it crushes the spirit. 1. So we have to watch out for any hidden motives that pervert our judgment. B. Watch out for judgments made when you are angry or afraid. 1. The parents of the blind man that Jesus healed (John 9) were afraid. 2. Anger perverts our judgments (& justice) quicker than anything else. C. Watch out for judgments that work to your advantage (not just monetarily); those are self-serving judgments- Cf. Exo. 23:8; Deut. 16:19; Prov. 17:23. Proverbs 17:23 23 A wicked man receives a bribe from the bosom to pervert the ways of justice. D. Watch out for judgments made to curry favor or to bind you with other people - e.g. Pilate: Luke 23:20-24; Jn. 19:12-16. Mark 15:15 15 Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified. 4
E. If our true intent is to help, then we must always speak & act out of genuine love - 1 Cor. 13:1, 2; Eph. 4:15. 1 Corinthians 13:1-2 13 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. [With love you can be everything the Lord wants you to be, even when making judgments. Love is the only healthy reason for telling the truth.] III. BE EAGER TO FORGIVE A. The harshly critical spirit the Pharisees had toward Jesus has to be avoided. Cf. Prov. 15:1. Proverbs 15:1 15 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. B. We must be kind, gentle, merciful, compassionate - Eph. 4:31, 32. Ephesians 4:31-32 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. C. Love will cover a multitude of sins (1 Pt. 4:8). Cf. Prov. 10:12; 17:9; Jas. 5:19, 20. 1. This doesn t mean that an act of love is like a confession & repentance of sin. 2. It means that because you love someone you can momentarily overlook their sins in order to help them back to Christ. 5
IV. BEWARE OF HYPOCRISY A. This is really what Jesus is teaching us to avoid in Matt 7:1-5. Cf. Rom. 2:1-3. B. This kind of hypocrisy was almost THE defining sin of the Pharisees - Mt. 23:1-4. Matthew 23:1-4 23 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, 2 saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; 3 therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them. 4 They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger. [In our judgments, we have to avoid using a double standard & apply to ourselves the same yardstick we apply to others.] V. BE HUMBLE A. To fail to recognize our own sins & weaknesses because of pride is to make ourselves poor judges of others. B. We are cautioned to be humble in our efforts to correct (or to make judgments of) others - 2 Tim. 2:24-26. Cf. Gal. 6:1. CLOSING A. Jesus teaching that we should judge with righteous judgment (Jn. 7:24) challenges us to rise to a higher level in our dealings with other. B. We stand to learn a great deal from the judgments we make about others. Romans 2:21-24 6
21 you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God? 24 For "THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU," just as it is written. -- Mainly from Gary Henry 7